Hearty gumbo is a great project for family to make, enjoy together

Tuesday

Dec 24, 2013 at 7:59 PM

This time of year, when families and friends get together, is a great time to cook together. Cooking together changes what can sometimes be a lonely endeavor into a party. Even guests who do not regularly cook can chop and measure and read the recipe.

By Betty Slowe

This time of year, when families and friends get together, is a great time to cook together. Cooking together changes what can sometimes be a lonely endeavor into a party. Even guests who do not regularly cook can chop and measure and read the recipe. This makes them feel at home and they enjoy the meal that their efforts helped create. A recent visit by a friend — Brian from Rochester, N.Y., who loves to cook — provided an opportunity for some “duet” cooking. We made several dishes during his visit, even getting my husband, Jim, who had rather watch and advise, to pitch in at times. One dish we made together was gumbo.Much is made of the roux used as the base of gumbo. Most of us have made gravy by stirring flour into pan drippings, then adding broth or stock. A roux isn’t much different, except the flour is cooked longer in the oil until it reaches a nice pecan brown color. This is important to the taste of the gumbo, but it isn’t difficult, just a little time-consuming, since the roux needs to be constantly stirred as it browns so that it doesn’t burn. At most, it takes about 20 minutes on medium to medium-low heat. If one cook gets distracted, another should step in. If cooking alone, stay with the roux. Ignore the phone or the doorbell. Give the baby to Daddy. Mommy has to stir her roux.Before you start any cooking, read the recipe carefully and do all the preparation work: cut up the chicken, chop the vegetables (the so-called “trinity” of celery, bell pepper and onion), slice the sausage and measure out the seasonings. With all the ingredients at hand, it is simple to follow the recipe and get steps done in order with no vital ingredient left out.Although there are as many versions of gumbo as there are people who make it, this recipe from the Viking Cooking School is a nice basic one. I have modified the instructions to make them easy to follow.

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (such as Tony Cachere’s), divided¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided3 cups chopped okra, fresh or frozen and thawed1 cup all-purpose flour1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced3 stalks celery, finely diced1 large green bell pepper (stem, ribs and seeds removed), finely diced2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced2 to 3 bay leaves½ teaspoon dried thyme1 pound Andouille (or other smoked sausage), sliced crosswise into ¼-inch rounds1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco), or to taste2 quarts chicken broth or stockSalt and freshly ground black pepper, to tasteBrown chicken: Season the chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons of the Creole seasoning. Heat the ¾ cup of oil in a large Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined platter; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside until needed. Do not discard the remaining oil, as this will be the base for the roux.Brown okra: Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and heat through. Add the chopped okra and sauté until just starting to turn light golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Note: This will help prevent the okra from having a slimy texture.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the okra to a paper-towel lined platter; set aside until needed.Make roux: Use a strainer or skimmer to remove any bits of chicken remaining in the oil in which the chicken was browned; this will prevent burning. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low; stir the flour into the oil. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly, until the roux is a dark brown pecan color with a strong nutty aroma, about 20 minutes. (Note: Cooking the roux slowly over low to moderate heat while stirring constantly is the key to the perfect dark roux. Resist the temptation to stop cooking the roux before it is a deep, rich brown color. It is worth the wait.)Add veggies: Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and remaining Creole seasoning to the roux. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the sausage and hot pepper sauce and continue cooking, stirring constantly, about 3 to 5 minutes more.Add broth: Whisk in the chicken broth all at once and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour. Skim off any foam or oil that rises to the top during cooking. Otherwise the gumbo will have an oily texture.Chop chicken: Remove the chicken from the bones; discard the bones and skin. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken and okra to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Continue skimming off any foam or oil that rises to the top during cooking.Adjust seasoning: Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Remove and discard the bay leaves.Serve: Serve the gumbo in warmed soup bowls over a spoonful of hot cooked rice. Garnish with green onions, if desired. — Adapted from The Viking Cooking School